Tule River Viaduct

With all the pre-cast girders placed at the pergola section of the Tule River Viaduct, crews are now working on various portions of the deck including setting metal pan decking, placing rebar and pouring concrete for the deck which consists of longitudinal and topping slabs. Concurrently, crews are now working on pouring shear transfer device diaphragms, which are act as sets of metal arms connecting girders to one another to help transfer and distribute forces of the train.

On the north approach of the structure, crews are forming the tub girder diaphragms, the portion of the structure that helps connect tub girders to each other at the bent caps, as well as connecting and sealing each adjacent tub girder to each other. When complete, the Tule River Viaduct and Pergola will span more than 3,573 feet long and will take high-speed trains over Tule River and the BNSF railroad tracks.

Similar to the Conejo Viaduct in Fresno County, the Tule River Viaduct will be comprised of a viaduct and pergola structure that will take high-speed trains over the BNSF rail lines. Currently, crews are working Friday thru Sunday between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. to place the 264 pre-cast concrete girders needed for the pergola. On any typical night, crews can place between 8 and 10 girders. To date, 102 girders have been placed. Located in Tulare County, the structure will be more than 3,500 feet long.

All 264 pre-cast girders needed for the pergola section of the Tule River Viaduct have been installed. Crews are now working on the formwork for the upper edge beams of the structure, the portion of the structure that provides support and ties the pre-cast concrete girders together. Tub girders will be placed next on the northern and south approaches of the structure, near Avenue 144 to the north and Tule River to the south. When complete, the Tule River Viaduct will be 3,573 feet long, taking high-speed trains over SR 43, the BNSF train tracks, and the Tule River.

In Tulare County, crews continue to erect falsework across the pergola section of the Tule River Viaduct. North of the structure, ironworkers have begun tying rebar for the lower edge beams of the pergola section. The Tule River Viaduct is located south of Avenue 144 / Poplar Avenue and State Route 43, to the south of the Tule River. When complete, the structure will be more than 3,573 feet long.

In Tulare County, crews have completed more than 100 Cast-in-Drilled-Holes to provide the foundation of the Tule River Viaduct. CIDH piles can be as large as 11-feet in diameter and are drilled up to 200-feet deep. Across the structure, crews are installing rebar and placing concrete to form the footings and future columns. As of Spring 2022, 32 of the 75 columns of needed for the Tule River Viaduct are now complete. Crews will be gearing up to install the falsework necessary to form the pergola section of the structure later this spring.

At the Tule River Viaduct south of the City of Corcoran, crews continue to excavate the bents by drilling cast-in-drilled holes (CIDH) for the foundation of the structure. You can see crews have already begun forming, installing rebar, and placing concrete for the columns on both sides of the BNSF rail line. Like other structures in Construction Package 2-3, the Tule River Viaduct will be a combination viaduct and pergola structure. More than 75 columns will need to be drilled and installed to carry high-speed trains over the existing BNSF rail line, State Route 43, and the Tule River. When complete, the Tule River Viaduct will be more than 3,573 feet long.

At the Tule River Viaduct in Tulare County, traffic has been rerouted to allow crews to begin substructure work including drilling and setting rebar cages for the future columns of the viaduct. More than 75 columns will need to be drilled and installed to carry high-speed trains over the existing BNSF rail line, State Route 43, and the Tule River. When complete, the Tule River Viaduct will be more than 3,573 feet long.

At the Avenue 144/Tule River Viaduct (pictured in rendering) in Tulare County, crews from Martinez Steel are tying rebar for a multi-cell reinforced box culvert, a structure that will allow water and wildlife to cross below the high-speed rail alignment. More than 800 cubic-yards of concrete will be placed for the base of the culvert. When completed, the culvert will be more than 12-feet high, 112-feet wide, and 101-feet long.

To the south, crews have begun paving for what will be the temporary State Route 43. In the near future, the highway will be shifted to the east to allow for construction of the future viaduct.

At the Tule River Viaduct in Tulare County, subcontractors are working on drilling more than 150 cast-in-drilled-hole (CIDH) piles to provide the foundation of the future high-speed rail structure. Each pile ranges from 60 to 200 feet in length. These piles will form the bents of the substructure. The Tule River Viaduct will carry high-speed trains from the east to the west side of the BNSF freight line, and across State Route 43.